Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $417 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $844 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $604 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,020 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $790 in Kabul.

Living in Mazar-i-Sharif is roughly 60% more expensive than in Kabul, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mazar-i-Sharif 50% lower, Kabul 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.22 ؋146

$2.66 ؋175

-16.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.21 ؋934

$10.83 ؋712

31.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 ؋218

$4.24 ؋279

-21.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 ؋236

$2.33 ؋153

54.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ؋470

$1.68 ؋110

325.60%

Cappuccino

$1.11 ؋73.2

$1.01 ؋66.6

9.90%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ؋34.48

$0.34 ؋22.04

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ؋17.88

$0.15 ؋9.87

80.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 ؋36.05

$0.71 ؋46.73

-22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 ؋13.08

$0.17 ؋11.49

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ؋107

$1.70 ؋112

-4.71%

Eggs

$1.60 ؋105

$1.43 ؋94.1

11.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 ؋332

$3.76 ؋247

34.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ؋242

$3.27 ؋215

12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 ؋359

$5.91 ؋389

-7.78%

Apples (1kg)

$0.54 ؋35.44

$0.57 ؋37.42

-5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ؋61.0

$0.74 ؋48.77

25.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 ؋48.39

$0.70 ؋45.92

5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 ؋37.45

$0.47 ؋30.95

21.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ؋30.48

$0.45 ؋29.46

2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ؋25.34

$0.43 ؋28.13

-9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ؋25.35

$0.25 ؋16.46

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ؋18.31

$0.36 ؋23.39

-22.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 ؋117

$1.76 ؋116

1.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ؋26.91

$0.94 ؋61.9

-56.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ؋77.5

$1.53 ؋101

-22.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.17 ؋76.7

$2.55 ؋168

-54.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ؋34.47

$0.21 ؋13.80

147.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.27 ؋1,398

$9.94 ؋654

113.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ؋46.12

$1.69 ؋111

-58.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 ؋90.2

$0.52 ؋34.44

163.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ؋92.5

$2.50 ؋164

-43.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ؋75.3

$0.98 ؋64.4

17.35%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$10.0K ؋660.6K

$7,814 ؋513.6K

28.61%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.0K ؋2.6M

$31.9K ؋2.1M

25.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$109 ؋7,151

$50.4 ؋3,310

116.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.86 ؋1,042

$14.12 ؋928

12.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$282 ؋18.5K

$90.5 ؋5,949

211.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.88 ؋715

$9.10 ؋598

19.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.53 ؋232

$3.83 ؋252

-7.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ؋288

$2.20 ؋145

99.09%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$28.45 ؋1,870

$18.59 ؋1,222

53.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,453 ؋95.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.03 ؋791

$9.12 ؋600

31.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.07 ؋1,122

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.63 ؋2,145

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.09 ؋1,123

$27.45 ؋1,805

-37.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.2 ؋5,600

$85.4 ؋5,614

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$43.01 ؋2,827

$57.7 ؋3,795

-25.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 ؋9,558

$198 ؋13.0K

-26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.8 ؋4,652

$110 ؋7,199

-35.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$744 ؋48.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 ؋26.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 ؋15.0K

$330 ؋21.7K

-30.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kabul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $85.2 in Mazar-i-Sharif and $85.4 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kabul pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $11.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $91.0 vs $87.0 per month, with Kabul cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mazar-i-Sharif vs Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($668 vs $417 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Kabul. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $85.2 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $85.4 in Kabul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 114% less than in Mazar-i-Sharif. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $28.45 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $18.59 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kabul gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Mazar-i-Sharif. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.